HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Waynesboro looks for turnaround in 2013

Wednesday

Mar 27, 2013 at 10:00 AM

The Waynesboro Maidens softball team is looking to get back into a winning groove in 2013.

Lee Goodwin

WAYNESBORO — The Waynesboro Maidens softball team is looking to get back into a winning groove in 2013.A team that is used to winning had what may have been its worst season ever in 2012. Waynesboro finished the season with a 5-14 record, which, compared even to the 2011 season's "substandard" 11-9 record leaves the Maidens with a lot of work to do to get back to their winning ways."Other than Megan (Baker) and Delaney (Blubaugh), all the rest of the kids were either new or playing new positions," said Waynesboro coach Doug Stuart of the 2012 team. "Kaelyn (Ashway) played a new position at shortstop (from center field). It took some time for the kids to get adapted to the new positions and to varsity softball. Plus, another thing I think that hurt us is that every team other than us were senior oriented. Every one had five to seven senior starters. We had two.The Maidens return junior Haely Beamer — one of eight juniors on the varsity roster — on the pitching mound, along with every other position. Junior Callie Good, who pitched and played third base last season, was named to the Mid-Penn Colonial Division First Team as a third baseman last year."A lot of those juniors definitely can play the game and they can hit with power," Stuart said. "Obviously, that's a huge group of girls that we need to provide leadership and also drive in runs and play the game like they know how to play the game."Having experienced juniors is a luxury that can only help the Maidens this season. Having four capable seniors — Kayde Berger, Erin Burd, Cheyenne Henning and Mariah Yingling — should also bolster the team's confidence. Part of the reason Waynesboro struggled last season wasn't so much a distinct dropoff in talent as it was a distinct improvement in the level of competition. Big Spring didn't even win the division but went on to win the Class AAA state championship. Northern put together a memorable season to capture the division title, while greencastle-Antrim, Shippensburg and Gettysburg all qualified for the postseason.Northern is no longer in the Mid-Penn Colonial Division, being replaced by Boiling Springs. The Bubblers didn't do so bad last year in the Capital Division, finishing second and ending the season with a 16-6 record that included a berth in the Class AAA playoffs. Boiling Springs lost to Big Spring in the quarterfinals, and the Bulldogs lost to G-A in the semifinals before the Blue Devils fell in the District 3 championship game to Manheim Central.Playing with a roster that includes eight juniors, the Maidens are hoping to improve on a couple of problem areas from last season."We need to play solid defense," Stuart said. "We just need to make routine plays on ground balls and fly balls. Number two, it comes down to a combination of pitching and hitting with runners in scoring position. Last year we did not hit well with runners in scoring position."Stuart said pitching is ahead of where it was last year. Haely Beamer will be the number one pitcher. Freshman Sadie Harshman, a left hander, will be the number two pitcher. Stuart said Kaytelyn Brown will be used in spot relief.Stuart added that the team lacks speed on the base paths."How much small ball we can use I'm not sure yet," he said.

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